Shaft-coupling.



No. 873,617. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907. J. J. SGHMITT. SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1907.

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PATENTED DEC. 10, "1907. J. J. SOHMITT. SHAFT COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1907.

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JOSEPH JOHN SOHMITT, OF KINSLEY, KANSAS.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed Jilly 20. 1907. Serial N0. 384.784.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that J OSEPH J. SoHMrTT, citizen of the United States, residing at Kinsley, in the county of Edwards and State of Kansas, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicles, and more particularly to shaft couplings, and has for its object to provide a means for attaching the shafts to the vehicle, which will be such that they may be quickly and easily detached to release a runaway horsef Another object is to provide an attaching means which will be extremely simple, which may be produced at a low figure, and which may be attached to wagons already in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the spe cific structure shown and described, may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan of a portion of' a wagon provided with the present invention Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a front view, the shafts being cut ofl adjacent to the thills Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken in the plane of the shaft.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a wagon provided with an axle 5 with which there are engaged a plurality of attaching yokes 6 engaged through portions of castings, as shown. These castings include outer end' castings 8, and an intermediate central casting 9, the several castings being in the form of brackets including vertically extending arms 8 and 9 respectively which lie in spaced relation longitudinally of the axle 5. Alining bearing openings 10 are formed in the arms of the several brackets, and these openings receive a horizontal shaft 11 carrying pinions 12 at its end portions between the arms 8 of the brackets 8.

The shafts 13 of the vehicle are provided with thill eyes 14, including spaced ears 15 between which the ends of the shafts are secured, and rearwardly extending rack-bars 16 which are normally engaged by thepinions 12, these rack-bars being disposed between the arms of the brackets 8 and beneath the pinions 12, resting upon the upper faces of the base portions A of the brackets.

To hold the shaft 11 against rotation, and with the thills in normal position, a detent is provided, which includes a rack-wheel 17 mounted upon the shaft 11 between the arms 9 of the bracket 9 and a dog 18'is pivoted between these arms above the rackwheel, for movement into and out of engagement with the latter. The dog is fixed upon a pivot pin 19, which extends laterally beyond the brackets and which carries a depending weight 20, arranged to hold the dog normally in engagement with the rack-wheel, and a rearwardly extending member 21 is connected with the dogfor movement of the latter against the action of the weight, this member being connected with a foot lever 22 pivoted in thevehicle.

As will be observed from the drawings, when it is desired to release the shafts, the foot lever is operated, which raises the dog, and the shaft 11 is then free to revolve under the tendency of the rack-bars 16 to move forwardly. It will be observed that the shafts may be easily reattached when desired.

As will be apparent, the present invention is susceptible of modifications to suit different proportions in the vehicles with which it is employed, without changing the principle or general structure.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coupling, the combination with a bracket comprising vertically extending arms, of a. shaft journaled in the brackets, a pinion mounted. upon the shaft, a rack bar arranged between the arms and beneath the shaft and disposed in engagement with the pinion, a rack wheel mounted upon the shaft, a dog for the wheel, and weighted means for holding the dog normally in engagement with the wheel.

2. The combination with a vehicle having an axle, of spaced end brackets secured to the axle, an intermediate bracket located between the end brackets, each of said brackets including spaced arms and a connecting por tion, a shaft journaled in the arms of the several brackets, pinions mounted upon the shaft between the arms of the end brackets, thills including rack bars disposed with the bars in engagement with the pinions and between the pinions and the connecting portions of the brackets, a toothed wheel mount- I normally in engagement with the wheel, and

ed upon the shaft between the arms of the means for moving the dog. 10 intermediate bracket, a Not pin mounted in In testimony whereof I affix my signature, the said bracket, a (log 'Xed upon the pin for in presence of two witnesses. 1 movement therewith into and out of engage- JOSEPH JOHN SCHHITT. ment with the wheel, said pin including a l/Vitnesses:

lateral extension, a weight connected with GEORGE J. FOX,

said extension and arranged to hold the dog JOHN MERTEN. 

